The Lord of Chaos
by bluerain1984
Summary: Kaede has suffered from an old curse that binds her life to that of a demon. When the vile creature faces Inu-yasha, however, it looks like Kaede's days are numbered! Will the gang be able to save her? Who are the nine demons that stand in their way? IYxY
1. Old Bones and Young Blood

Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or Inu-yasha or Lord of the Rings. Now that the Chaos Series is done, we understand that we need more chaos; we just can't leave these characters! So, we begin a new series just for you…

The Lord of Chaos

--------Prolougue-------

Feudal Japan, 35 years before Inu-yasha's awakening…

As the fires stirred smoke and steam from the mountain of Fuji, the young priestess laid in wait. She had traveled for many days and nights in pursuit of her enemy, and she believed that she had found him at last. With her one good eye, she scanned the area for him; used all her senses to probe for his presence. But all was quiet. Too quiet. Suddenly, she heard movement in the trees before her. She crouched low, and took aim with her bow…

But it was not the demon who stepped out of the trees. It was her master- the old priest who had taught her and two other apprentices the sacred craft. His shirt was bloody, and he carried a bow in his hand.

"Kaede," the priest called, "Kaede, come out my child. I have slain the demon. Ye need not keep the chase any longer."

Kaede was in tears. Her master must have followed her and killed the wicked beast himself to save her from death! She dropped her bow and stood up, crying happily, "Master!"

Her master turned and looked at her, smiling. "Kaede," he said gently… before lifting the bow and firing an arrow at her! Kaede didn't have time to gasp, she flung her young body to the forest ground - which was heated by the rumblings of the great mountain - and was barely missed being pierced by the arrow. Then she knew she had been deceived.

"Beast!" she cried, "How dare ye take the form of my teacher!"

"Your teacher is dead," said the being in his stolen skin, "I took his flesh because it suited me. It may comfort you to know that he died very quickly." he added laughing.

"Hellspawn!" she screamed as she leaped from the brush and fired at his black heart. But he was far too quick for her in this new body. With a kick and jab to her chest and stomach, he threw her down, and disappeared., his laughing filling the air, mingling in a nightamre chorus with the grumblings of Fuji.

"This is not over!" Kaede cried to the wilderness. "I swear vengeance for my teacher! I will not die until I have ye head on a pike! I will not rest until ye die!"

Then I put a curse on you, Young Kaede" the voice of the demon said, "That ye shall live as long as I live; that should I die by any hands other than thine own, ye shall die with me… No less than two sun downs later…"

Chapter One: Old Bones, and Young Blood

"Die!" Inu-yasha cried out as he swung the Tetsusaiga at the looming Bear Demon before him. The Bear sneered and with it's huge paws, it batted Inu-yasha away like a toy, sending him tumbling over the ground.

"Is this the best the village of Musashi can send now? For over one hundred years have I terrorized this region, and the best Samurai and Holy Servants have come to destroy… But all fail. They were much better sport than you were, halfbreed."

Inu-yasha growled as he used his sword to pick himself up, "I'm more than a match for you, you pathetic excuse for a throw rug! I'm just getting started!"

"Then hurry up and get started already," Joey shouted from his vantage point. "I hate it when he has to fight a demon when we're here."

"You wanted Kaede's homemade stew," Kagome replied, firing arrows, "And the only herbs to make it are in this region! Now shut up or help!"

"Leave this one to me, Joey," Yugi said, raising his Millennium Puzzle over his head, and calling out, "Yugioh!" With a flash of light, he and the spirit, Yami, had become one being. "Now, with ancient powers of Egypt," Yugi/yami said, "I call for the power of the Mind Crush!!" he threw out his hand, and with his Shadow powers, he sent a large pulsing wave of physic energy towards the Bear Demon, making it howl and scream as it was dumbfounded into a state of great confusion and pain.

"Now, Inu-yasha!" Yugi/Yami shouted.

"Backlash Wave!" Inu-yasha cried as he used the power of the Windscar, mingled with the Bear's own evil energy to throw it's power back at it. As the light from the Backlash Wave died down, they heros saw to their amazement that the demon had disappeared.

"What happened to it?" Yugi/Yami asked.

"Guess he wasn't so tough after all if he disintegrated," Inu-yasha said casually. "What a jip."

"Inu-yasha," Kagome warned him. It was then that Shippo came out of the woods clutching many herbsd in his hands. "I found them!" he cheered happily. Then, looking around at the felled trees and the crater in the ground, Shippo asked, "What happened here?"

"Yet another demon has met with an unfortunate end," Miroku said.

"Again?" Shippo asked, "Geez, Inu-yasha, if you keep slaying demons at this rate, we're gonna be out of the job."

"Will you can it?" Inu-yasha asked.

-----------Scene Break----------

As the returning heroes entered the village, they saw a large crowd gathered at Kaede's garden. When Kirara set them on the ground, they rushed over to see what had happened.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked.

"Priestess Kaede was in her garden, then she clutched her heart and fainted!" said a villager.

"What?" Sango exclaimed.

"Oh no!" Tea cried in distress.

"Where is she now?" Kagome asked worridly.

"The carried her back to her hut to rest," the villager said. The young warriors ran as fast as they could back to Kaede's hut, where a few village women were taking care of her. "Oh, Lady Kagome, thank goodness your back," said one, "She needs your advanced knowledge of medicine." The young ones went in, and found their old mentor laying on a pallet, sweating as if she were in a sauna while young ladies tried to feed her broth.

"Get that mush away from me," she grumped. "I don't- AH!" she gasped from pain.

"Kaede!" Kagome called, and the girl ran to her old friend.

"Kagome child," Kaede grunted, "Get these hens out of here. They don't know what they are doing!"

"You heard the lady," Inu-yasha said, pushing them all out, "Leave! Out! Scram!"

"Miss Kaede," Tea said, sitting on the side opposite Kagome, "What happened?"

"I don't know," Kaede wheezed, "I was simply planting some mint in my garden, when suddenly a great pain overtook my heart and my senses. I fell to the ground, and though I knew what was going on around me, I could not move."

"Geez," Joey remarked, getting out the herbs they'd gotten earlier, "Will these help?"

"This is not the time to be thinking with your stomach," Tea scolded him.

"Exactly how long ago did you start feeling ill?" Miroku asked.

"I believe it was… just after the sun was highest in the sky," Kaede said sleepily.

"That was two hours ago." Yugi said.

"Wasn't that when we wear fighting the demon?" Sango asked as she applied a cool rag to Kaede's head.

"A demon?" Kaede said, waking, her eyes getting a little wider.

"Yeah, some third rate Bear Demon not worth fighting," Inu-yasha said, crossing his arms. "All that big talk about being the 'scurge of Musashi'. Feh!"

"Scurge of Musashi?!" Kaede exclaimed. She struggled to get up, but Kagome, Tea, and Sango begged her to take it easy and lie down again. "Inu-yasha… Did this Bear have a scar upon his brow? And eyes like jade beads?"

"Yeah, why?" Inu-yasha asked.

"Then it is accomplished…" Kaede said, falling back on her palette. "My death may come swiftly now."

"What?!" Kagome exclaimed. "What are you talking about?!"

"Whoa, dyin'?" Joey said, backing up.

"What are you babaling, you old bat?" Inu-yasha asked, distressed. "You can't fie on us!"

"Aye, my dear children. I have never told you much of my own past, but now that time is so short, I must explain all.

"In the months after my sister's death, the monks and priests of this village shrine sent me away to train under a most skilled and holy man in the mountains. After I demonstrated my skills of healing and archery to him, he accepted me as an apprentice without question. In a simple monastery, I trained with two young men and another young girl and our Master. As we learned and grew, we became a small family, with our great teacher as our father… And as years passed, the pains of my childhood began to lessen.

"But, one horrid day, a village near our temple home was attacked by a fierce and horrid demon who had guised himself as a dragon. The two men and myself- the last of our Master's pupils- were sent to vanquish the wicked thing. Though we fought bravely, even into the darkest hours of night, my companions were injured, and I was the only one who could bring down the wicked creature. So as the first light of morning came to the sky, I sent one swift arrow to the fell beast, and it pierced his brow… But it did not kill him. Instead it angered him, and to punish me, he slew my comrads and my master.

"I followed him to the great mountain of Fuji, and I vowed to slay him, but he used deceitful methods escape me. And thus, he cursed me… Cursed me that I would not die until I slew him, or until he was slain by another. And then, two days after his death, I would follow."

"Way to go, Inu-yasha," Shippo said, knocking him in the noggin, "You killed Kaede!"

"I didn't know she was bound to some old demon!" he yelled.

"Oh Kaede, you can't die," Kagome said, starting to cry.

"It is the fate of all, my child. Death is the one equalizer: young or old, rich or poor, death soon finds them one way or another."

"Ladt Kaede, you will not die," Miroku said defiantly.

"How can we stop a curse, though?" Tea asked, "Even you're not that powerful a monk, Miroku."

"True, but I have heard from passing travelers of a miracle cure for all diseases and curses that lies in the deepest forests near the great mountain."

"I think I heard this before," Kagome said.

"A holy chalice that purifies and brings long life when water is drank from it."

"What?" Inu-yasha asked. "That's a legend! The Cup of Amaterasu doesn't exist anymore than that legendary sword that created Japan exists."

"What's he talking about?" Tristan asked.

"In early Japanese mythology," Kagome said, "peopled believed that the great Sun Goddess, Amaterasu created a sword. And then dipped the blade into the ocean. When she lifted the blade back up, for perfect drops fell back into the sea, and these drops were the Islands that make up Japan. She supposedly gave the sword- and a chalice- to her son, the first Emperor of Japan. But like Inu-yasha, said, it's just a legend."

"Right," Inu-yasha chimed in, "There's no Sun Goddess, there's no sword, and there's no Chalice."

"We could still try to find it," Sango said, "We can't just give on Kaede."

"Can't she still break the curse?" Shippo asked.

"The curse cannot be undone unless I myself slay the demon," Kaede said. "And Inu-yasha has done that already. Do not fret over one as old as I. At least my greatest foe is gone…"

--------------Scene Break--------------

He crawled for many miles. His body was aching, his mind was filled with visions of his long centuries of life. How could it be that one as strong as himself could be defeated by a mere half-breed? Not even the strongest of the strong could hurt him. But now he had only one thought: I must live!

Then, as he broke through the brush, to a stream flowing strong, a foot stepped in front of him.

"Xunhuo… So, after three hundred years, you come to death at last?" asked the being before the fallen demon.

"Do not… hinder me… I must live!" said Xunhuo.

"FOrgive me, I only wish to assist you."

"Assist me to death?" Xunhuo asked, "I am not blind to all that occurs in this land… I have seen you… Naraku, devourer of demons-!"

"You are mistaken," Naraku said, bending down. "I would not absorb into my body as I would others. Instead I would give you an opportunity for revenge. Nine opportunities, to be exact. Even now, our mutual enemies are on a quest to save the old Priestess Kaede from death, which will soon follow your own. But I know that you desire greatly to kill her yourself for the marked she placed on your head."

"What do you propose?" Xunhuo asked.

"I will give you a new body, and new demons to command. You simply need to specify the image you want."

"I want a shape that hides me… An image that will bring fear into the hearts of all those who look on me, yet does not rouse their suspicion… But what is that catch, Naraku? This would not come without a price!"

"Of course it comes with a price," Naraku said, his smile showing under the Baboon faced hood, "You belong to me now."

"I belong to no one!" Xunhuo spat, "Especially not a half demon who parades himself in a Baboon cloak for the lust of a dead human woman!"

All went silent. Then, Naraku said "Perhaps I misjudged you. Very well. Have it your way. You may proceed now on your way to oblivion." he placed his hand on Xunhuo's forhead, and sent a torrent of red lightening energy through him, stabbing like thousands of tiny daggers, throught his body even to his bones!

"I accept!!!! I accept!!!" Xunhuo cried in agony, "Please, no more!!!!!

"Much better," Naraku said, taking one hand away and replacing it with another. With this one a thick sludge emerged and from him, covering and eating away the flesh on Xunhuo's body, leaving bones. Bones that laughed as Naraku tore a patch from his own Baboon cloak and stretched it to form a hood and cloak of black mist, which shrouded the bones of Xunhuo, and became like a new skin for him. And from that hood glowed a single, flaming Eye.

"Xunhuo, the Swift Fire, is no more," Naraku said as the hooded being stood, "Behold, Takashi, His Eminence. And these shall be your servants: Takumi, the Artisan, Takeshi the brave, Ryota the Stout, Nobu the Expansionist, Rokuro, the Sixth, Minoru, the Seed of Evil, Kazou, the Perfect Evil. Together you are the Nine Terrors of Musashi. Doom shall be your language, fear shall be your shadows. And these shall be your steeds." Naraku opened his cloak, and nine steeds galloped out. Their hooves were as sharp as knives, and their nostrils snorted fire.

"Ride now to the village where Inu-yasha and his company takes refuge," Naraku said as the nine mounted. "Kill them all."

"I will bring you the Han-you's head on a spike." Takashi said. Then, the nine turned their mounts towards the north east, and rode out. "To Edo!!"

--------Authors' Note--------

Ok, maybe yall recognized a scene from a little known film called Transformers the Movie (which we also don't own)? Well, that was my brother's idea (Optimus Prime is his hero) SO, anyway, please reveiw! 


	2. The Council of Myoga

Disclaimer: Again, we own nothing! 

Chapter Two: The Council of Myoga

"So, it has come to pass," old Myoga said as he looked at Kaede, who was slowly withering away. "I figured this curse would catch up with her one day. It was inevitable that one day Inu-yasha would succeed in destroying a demon where Kaede had failed. And yet, Kaede lingers… Every hour that you stay here, more is lost in her life."

"Okay, so we're going." Kagome said gathering her arrows.

"Yeah, but all of us tramping around the countryside to Fuji will attract unwanted attention. You know?" Tristan said.

"That is why only nine of you may go." Myoga said.

"Only Nine?" Yugi asked.

"That's all Kirara can be asked to bear. Time is short, and you'll need her swiftness, for not only must you reach the mountain, but in a cave deep inside it is where the Chalice of Amateratsu resides… And there are untold dangers in the deep places of the earth."

"What about you?" Inu-yasha asked the flea, "Are you one of the nine who are going?"

"Me!? Of course not! I'm here purely for council." Myoga said., sweat drops coming in his fear. "So, any volunteers?"

"I'm definitely going," Kagome said.

"You'll get yourself killed," Inu-yasha said, "I'm going too."

"It's your fault anyway," Kagome said.

"I told you I didn't know!" he yelled.

"You have my Puzzle," Yugi/Yami said, standing.

"And my Key," Joey said.

"And my Ring," Bakura chimed in, "You'll need a compass to find this thing, whatever it is, and my Ring will lead us there."

"You can't leave me behind," Mai said, "How will you know if anyone's following us?"

"And how will you know what dangers lurk ahead?" Serenity said. "You'll need our Millennium Items to warn you."

"And since Kirara is my friend, I'm going," Sango said.

"You'll need a holy man to guide you past the pitfalls and perils of the mountain," Miroku siad proudly."

"Oh well, I guess you'll do," Sango said. Miroku dropped his head and groaned.

"Then that's it!" Myoga said, jumping up, "Nine companions, loyal and true. You shall be hereby known as-!"

"Can it," Inu-yasha said throwing the Tetsusuaiga over his shoulder, "Lets just go!"

"Oh, but I had such a great speech planned," Myoga pouted. As the group began their journey, their back on their shoulders, Kaiba, Duke, Ayumi, Tristan, Shippo, and Mokuba stood close to the hut, for they would remain with old Kaede and protect her from her enemies, who would no doubt seek her in her wounded state.

"So what do we do if the old bat croaks?" Kaiba said.

"Seto!" Mokuba scolded.

"Don't worry," Duke said, "We'll take good care of her."

At that moment, a villager came running towards them, his face twisted in fear, his clothes stained red.

"What's wrong?" Tristan asked.

"Horsemen! Demon Horsemen from the south!" the man gasped. "They're cutting down innocent people as they ride past… They seek the old woman!"

"Mokuba, Shippo, get inside," Kaiba said. "Duke, you ready?"

Duke pulled out his machetes, whipped them around in his hands, and said, "Let's go."

"Wait, what'll I use for a weapon?" Tristan asked. He looked around, and saw an old axe leaning against the wall "Oh well, better than nothing," he said, picking it up and running after Kaiba and Duke.

------------Transition-----------

On the outskirts of the burning village near a swift flowing stream, the Nine Riders stood, ready to ride again, when Ryota sniffed the air. "_I smell humans_." he said in a deep horse whisper. They turned, and before them stood three men, and one familiar face and scent.

"_Sister Kagura,"_ hissed Minoru.

"_Kahhhhhgurahhhhh!"_ they all hissed.

"That name has no meaning for me anymore," she said, "Taste the power she left me! Dance of the Dragon!" she cried, swiping her fan, creating two enormous dust tornadoes. The whirling funnels advanced, but then Takashi lifted his hand, and the faint image of a heart appeared in within it.

"Kagura, treacherous child of Naraku…Die." he said, squeezing the heart.

Ayumi's face went white, she clutched her chest, and she fell to the ground screaming in pain.

"NO!" Tristan cried, and he flung his axe at Takashi's hand, severing it just below the elbow. When the arm hit the ground, it dissolved into a pool of ash, and the heart disappeared.

"As long as Naraku has Kagura's heart, he can hurt Ayumi," Duke said, "She can't fight!"

"Then we'll fight," Kaiba said, brandishing his Millennium Rod, the ancient item glowing red with it's inner power.

But at that moment, Kirara flew overhead, and the Riders saw her heading for the mountain.

"They are a diversion…" Takeshi said, "We want the Half breed, Inu-yasha."

_"Inu-yassssssshaaaaaahhhhhhhh_" The rest hissed.

"You won't get a foot near them," Kaiba said. He lifted the Rod and started chanting, "Shadow Powers, hear my cry, unlock the magic deep inside. Shadow Powers hear my cry, unlock the magic deep inside," each time he said it got louder, and around them they heard a sound that grew with Kaiba's voice, a rumbling came that grew and grew until it deafened them, the earth beneath them shaking as if in rage. Then with a final shout, Kaiba threw up his arms, and the earth beneath the Riders cracked and split like a great mouth opening up to swallow them.

But before gravity could take hold and pull them down into the depths of the earth, where all creeping things dwell, their black horse's hooves erupted in fire, and they galloped up- into the air! And with many high pitched shrieks of rage and bitter hatred, the Nine Terrors of Musashi flew away.

"You think Inu-yasha and Yugi have enough of a head start?" Duke asked Kaiba. Tristan came up from behind them, the hurt and weak Ayumi in his arms.

"Let's hope so," Kaiba said.

-----------**Authors' Note**-------------

Bluerain: Due to my brother finally moving to his own place- _**fanfare and trumpets sound as confetti is thrown from windows and cheers erupt in the streets**_- we won't be updating as much as we used to.

SirLarry: So please be patient, and make sure to review, and tell your friends about the Chaos Series!!!


	3. Fight or Flight

Chapter Three: Fight Or Flight 

"This is a bit of a squeeze, isn't it?" Mai asked as the company flew high over the landscape of ancient Japan. She was wedged, along with everyone else, on Kirara's back, and one false movement would mean a fall to certain death.

"Who's hand is that!?!" Sango yelled.

Miroku quikly turned and said, 'It's not-!" but Snago's hand flew up and slapped him. "-Mine."

"Yeah right," Sango rpelied.

"But it wasn't." Miroku said.

"Keep your hands off me, you lecher." Sango said.

"Will you just watch and keep the mountain in view?" Inu-yasha said.

"Hey guys, we have trouble," Yugi - who had the unfortunate potion in the back, said. As they struggled to turn and look, they saw nine black seeds, their hooves surrounded in flame, galloping on air towards them. All the beings' hoods showed no faces, but pure black emptiness, except for their leader whose hood concealed a large red eye that Inu-yasha's keen eyes now saw quite clearly.

"What the heck are those?" Joey asked.

"They're practice for me and my sword," Inu-yasha said, drawing Tetsusaiga. At the motion, the head rider advanced, and drawing his own twisted jagged blade. The other riders followed suit, and came at them, surrounding Kirara and the company in a circle.

"What do we do?" Kagome said, "I have no room to fire my arrows!"

"Perhaps my Wind Tunnel-" Miroku said, but then they were over come with the sound of a thousand buzzing Demon Insects that seemed to shield the riders.

"The Shang-youshou!" Yugi cried.

"These are Naraku's henchmen," Inu-yasha said, "I should have known!"

"We have to land," Sango said. "We can't fight wasps and the riders! Down Kirara!" she cried, and with a roar, Kirara went into a nose dive down into the trees below them, as the riders above followed, they sent out many high pitched, earsplitting shrieks, like the cries of a thousand tortured souls. At the hideous sound, everyone covered their ears, and Kiara started to thrash around in pain, until she could longer keep steady. They were just barely under the trees when Kirara lost control, and in a panic to get away from the sound the riders were making, she threw everyone from her back, and they all fell to the still too far ground below.

Meanwhile, the riders, galloping overhead, thought their task done.

"Inu-yasha is dead," Takashi said. "Now to collect his head."

------------Transition-------------

"HEY! Is anybody left alive?" Inu-yasha called out as he hung from a tree limb.

"I'm okay!" Kagome answered, she had landed in a briar patch, "Ow! Thorns!"

"That two times I've fallen out of the sky," Joey complained, sitting up in a mud puddle, "Kirara needs seatbelts."

"Stop- OW- complaining," Mai said, also climbing from Kagome's briar patch.

"What happened?" Yugi said, "It happened all so fast."

"Meow," Kirara mewed, coming to them with her head down low in shame.

"Kirara, are you alright?" Sango asked her pet. Kirara mewed and jumped into Sango's arms.

"Her? What about me?" Miroku said, "I nearly broke my neck."

"Well you didn't," she said. "Those horrible riders' shrieks obviously have a terrible effect Kirara."

"They had an effect on me too," Bakura said, "Look," he held up his Millennium Ring, and it was bent and dented. "I don't it'll work as a compass for a while."

"Great! We can't find the blasted Chalice without the Ring!" Inu-yasha growled.

"Then we'll just have to fix it," Serenity said.

"If I may pose a suggestion," Myog said, popping up on Inu-yasha's shoulder.

"Where did you come from?" Inu-yasha asked.

"Why, Lord Inu-yasha, I've been with you the whole time." Myoga said.

"Then what was all that jazz about you only being here for council!?!" Inu-yasha yelled.

"Well, you need my council now, so I'm here," Myoga said, "Unfortunatly, Serenity my dear, the forgers of the Millennium Items took their secrets to the grave. And no mortal man in these lands can reforge the Millennium Ring… except maybe one person…"

"Oh no," Inu-yasha groaned, "Not _him_!"

"He's our only option," Myoga said.

"Oh, look at my clothes!" Kagome said, "they're all ripped from my fall in the briar patch. I can't walk around Feudal Japan like this! Clean clothes get enough attention."

"Take this," Miroku said, opening his pack, "I figured we might need it when we reached the Cave where the Chalice rests."

"Priestess clothes?" Kagome asked with apprehension.

"My clothes are too small for you," Serenity said.

"And mine are a little to big, kid," Mai said.

"Great," Kagome said as she took the robes. "But keep an eye on that lecher, I don't want him watching while I change."

"Great idea," Inu-yasha said, "I'll just-"

"No you won't," Kagome said.

"It's not like I haven't see it all before." Inu-yasha said.

"Sit boy," Kagome said. _**FLASH WHAM**_! Inu-yasha was down for the count.

------------Transition-------------

"Well, at least the Tetsusaiga's not broken again," Totosai said, examining the foreign Ring. 'Otherwise I'd have to take another fang from that big mouth of yours… And there aren't any more demons that your father didn't kill left around to make it lighter."

"Very funny," Inu-yasha said, "Just fix it. We need a compass to find Amateratsu's Chalice."

"You're looking for that old thing?" Totosai asked, "Why on earth for?"

"Long story short, Inu-yasha killed a demon Kaede was bound to, and now we have to save her life."

"Oh, so that curse finally caught up with her?" Totosai asked.

"How do you know abut it?" Bakura asked.

"Some demon came around forty of thirty years ago, wanting armor that could withstand sacred arrows. He had a big mouth- just like you, Inu-yasha. And at the time, he had a head of bright red hair, and spiffy green kimono. He was trying to pass himself off as a human, but anyone with common sense could see through his borrowed skin, especially with that bright red mark on his forehead. It was a scar almost shaped like a third eye. He complained that if it was pierced again, he would die, and blamed it all on a one eyed priestess from the north. When you all showed up, and I met the one eyed old bat, I figured she must have been the priestess all them years ago."

"Did you make his armor?" Kagome asked.

"What, are you kidding me?" Totosai said, "He wanted it made of dragon scales! Do you have any idea how hard those things are to get a hold of? I turned him out with out a second thought."

"You sure are picky about clients," Mai observed.

"You'd be picky too if you had fifty odd rag tag miscreants showing everyday to make a sword or breastplate." Totosai took the Ring in his hands, and started pulling and flicking at various prongs. Then said, "Hmmm. Big job. Need two or three days."

"TWO OR THREE DAYS!?!" Inu-yasha yelled. "Kaede dies at sundown tomorrow!!"

"Okay, okay, so it's a rush job," Totosai said, "Why don't you pick around the shop and I'll have it ready in a little while."

"What shop?" Miroku asked, looking around the cave.

"This one," Totosai said, pulling back a curtain in the back, "Feudal Armories and Accessories. Help yourselves to whatever you need at my own persona discount, but be care customer lost an eye in here- which reminds me: if you find it, let me know," and the old fool was gone to fix the Ring.

-------------Transition--------------

The Riders sniffed the ground, and searched the trees. "I can't find a single sign of him," Nobu hissed.

"Neither can I," Takashi said. "Blast! He must have survived."

"What about the others?" Kazou asked.

"They mean nothing to me. It is the han-you we must have. Where could they be hiding?"

"I have found something," Ryota said. He handed a bundle of clothing to Takahi, who sniffed them, and started to laugh.

---------------Transition---------------

After three hours of waiting, Totosai finally emerged from his workshop, the Millennium Ring glittering like new. "All done. I believe I've outdone myself. It no easy feat to repair an item of foreign make."

"It looks incredible!" Bakura said, putting it around his neck. "It feels so much lighter! Did you by chance release an evil spirit that was in this?"

"Oh…" Totosai said, scratching his head, "You mean he wasn't suppose to be in there?" Everyone fell down in exasperation and frustration. Then Inu-yasha jumped up, grabbed Totosai by the collar and yelled "Of course he's not supposed to be in there, you idiot!!!! He's an incarnation of Naraku!!"

"Well he seemed like a nice enough fellow. Guess I shouldn't have given him that discount card," Totosai said.

"DISCOUNT CARD!?! We don't have any money!!!!" Inu-yasha snarled.

Just then, Bakura noticed that his wallet was gone from his pocket. "Oh no! He took my wallet!"

"Great!" Inu-yasha said, dropping the old man. "Lets get out of here before I go crazy!"

"Too late for that," Totosai remarked. "Well, good luck, and tell Li to come by whenever he wants."

-------------Transition---------------

"You have failed," Naraku said as his nine minions bowed before him. "You know how replay failure."

"Naraku, give me nut one more chance," Takashi said.

"How will you find Inu-yasha to kill him if I do give you a second chance?" Naraku asked him.

"I know of a way," Takashi said. And he tossed out Kagome's ripped uniform.

"Excellent," Naraku said. "And I know of the perfect pawn to use in our game."

------------**Authoress' Note**--------------------

Bluerain: Sorry for the long wait. Hope you're enjoying the story. Please review.


	4. Kouga and The Wolf Tribe Decived

-**Authors' Note**-  
We apologize for not updating this fic. Please review immediately after reading, PLEASE! 

Chapter Four: Kouga and the Wolf Tribe Deceived

"Kouga, all is clear to the east," Hakkaku said as Kouga returned from hunting.

"Perfect," Kouga said, "Tonight we feast like kings!"

"Lord Kouga!" cried one of his other lackies, "One of our wolves is returning."

"So?" he asked.

"He has sister Kagome, and looks hurt!" replied the guard.

"What! Kagome!" he cried, using his enhanced speed to run to the wolf that carried the tired and bloodstained girl on his back. The young wolf leader hurred over the rocks and cliffs until he stood a few yards away from the approaching messenger.

"Kagome!" he yelled as he saw the pair, "Kagome what happened?"

"Kouga… help…" the girl said as she finally lost her strength, and collapsed, falling from the wolf's back, and rolling to the ground.

"Kagome!" Koug cried again in despair as he picked up his injured love, and carried her nack to the safety of his lair.

Scene Break-

"More water!" Kouga commanded as his tribesmen carried bucket after bucket to where Kagome was resting on a pile of fine furs. She gulped cup after cup of water as they were prepared. Kouga knelt by her side, looking at her with concern and deepest devotion. "Is there anything you need, Kagome? Food?"

"I need your help Kouga," she said, putting the cup down, and looking at him with half open eyes.

"Whatever you ask of me, I'll do it without question," he said, taking her scarred hands.

"Kouga… you have to help me…Inu-yasha's finally betrayed me."

"That dirty dog!" he cried, snarling.

"Kouga, a wicked priestess has deceived Inu-yasha and the others. She put a enchantment on them, making them think she's me, and they all attacked me, thinking I was her. You have to break the spell. You must kill the priestess Kikyo to save Inu-yasha and my friends."

"You mean I have to save that stupid Mutt-face?" Kouga asked, appalled.

"Please, Kouga, they're my friends! I can't abandon them." she said. "And didn't you just say you'd do what I wanted without question?"

"I can't break a promise to you," Kouga said. He stood, and turned to his comrades, but then looked back to Kagome. "But what if I can't kill this Kikyo without killing Inu-yasha?" he asked.

"Then bring him back here… and we'll die together," said the girl, looking down at the ground.

Kouga turned to his army, and ordered, "We go now! You will fight to maim, not kill, and leave the Priestess to me. Remember, she's placed an enhancement on everyone. She may even look and smell like Kagome to us, but we shall not be deceived. For Kagome!"

"For Kagome!" they all cried as they took off over the mountains and plains… following the trail.

As the wolves departed, and the girl was left alone with only two guards she smiled, began to chuckle quietly. 'Now all I must do is wait for the that foolish young wolf to kill my enemies… and wait for him to bring me Inu-yasha on a silver platter,' thought Naraku.

Scene Break-

"Are we there yet?" complained Inu-yasha as the company made their way to the mountain, passing one of the five great lakes that surrounded it.

"For the umpteenth time: No, Dog-breath," Joey answered.

"Will you stop fighting," Mai said, taking off her high heeled boots, "I gotta remember to pack sneakers when I come here."

"Miroku, is the cave much further? We're all tired," Sango said.

"Relax, we're there," Miroku said, pointing down the hill. At the base of the mountain was a cave, with many old and faded sutras posted around the entrance. As they hurried the final steps to the their destination, Miroku read the sutras.

"Hmmm, just as I suspected," he said examining them. "Only those pure and holy may enter."

"Guess that leaves you out," Serenity said.

Miroku coughed, "Unfortunately. But Kagome is still pure. She can enter."

"Me? I'm not going in alone! She said, looking into the dark entrance.

"Relax, I'll go in first," Inu-yasha said, drawing the Tetsusaiga.

"Aren't you forgetting that you're half demon," Bakura asked.

"Maybe I can go in," Joey said, "I used to be a priest of Ra."

"I don't think foreign deities would work here, Joey." Yugi said.

"Wait," Bakura said, as he took Serenity's hand. "Let us try." they walked to the entrance, and as they stepped inside, they felt a rippling heat wash over them, and let them pass, unscathed.

"How did you do that?" Mai asked.

"Serenity is pure like Kagome, so I figured if I held her hand, then her powers would protect me."

"I guess it also helps if you have a holy relic, like a Millennium Item," Yugi said. He stepped through, and was permitted entrance. So, as Sango walked in on Joey's arm, and Miroku touching Mai's shoulder, (the only thing she's let him touch) and Kagome and Inu-yasha hand in hand, they all entered the cave.

Once inside, Miroku used a sutra to illuminate his staff, and they followed the twisting, winding underground halls of the cave, going deeper and deeper into the earth. Darkness pressed in close around them, with only the lighted staff to show them the way ahead. They knew not how long, but the dark road ahead seemed endless, and the caverns below them echoed their footsteps a thousand fold. Then, as they turned through one of three doors Miroku lifted his staff, and around them, the light was mginifed by walls and columns of purest gold and topaz, and the monk said, "Behold, the lost city of The Rising Sun. The City of the gods."

"Geez Louise," Joey said in awe.

Scene Break-

At Kagome's house in the present age, Gramps Higurashi was already at work training young Souta for his future postion.

"Gramps, do I really have to wear this ridiculous outfit?" Souta asked, pulling at the long, baggy blue and white priest robes.

"These robes have been handed down from generation to generation. They've been worn by members of the Higurashi Priesthood since the beginning of time." Gramps said with dignity and authority.

"Is that why they smell like moth balls?" Souta asked.

"Don't change the subject," Gramps replied, "I can't waste time with a fake apprentice like Inu-yasha. I'm getting old, Souta."

"Getting?" Souta asked.

"I'll regard that as a joke. Anyway, I'm getting old, Souta. I need to start training the next generation of our family's chosen priesthood. And that's you, my boy."

"But I'm normal," Souta whined, "Why can't Kagome do it?"

"Because she's playing super-hero in the Feudal Era. Now, first, we begin with the ancients chants that bring prosperity and good fortune." Gramps said, clasping his hands together.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Shippo called as he entered the shrine.

"Shippo! Thank goodness, I was about to die of boredom," Souta said.

"I can't stay long," Shippo informed him, "Granny Keade is sick. She might be dying, and we need Kagome's special modern medicines to make her fever go down."

"Hold on," Souta said, "I know where Kagome keeps all her first aid stuff. I'll go get it."

The youngsters scurried off, leaving Gramps Higurashi in the middle of the shrine, oblivious to all around him.

Scene Break-

When Souta and Shippo arrived at the village, they saw a sad state of affairs. Keade's skin was paler, her breathing more labored. Kaiba was standing guard at the door, while Ayumi and Tristan applied more wet rags to the old woman's head.

"I can't believe she's worse," Shippo said, as he helped Souta get out the bottles of aspirin. Souta gave the priestess the pills and cool water.

"I always thought my first trip here would be a little more exciting." Souta admitted.

"It's worse than it looks," Kaiba said. "That demon Naraku has helpers out trying to kill Keade. He's too impatient to wait. The old woman will die by sundown tomorrow anyway."

"Big brother, others will be back with the chalice before then." Mokuba said.

"If it exists," Tristan said, admitting his own doubt.

"I only wish that there was something I could do," Souta said, kneeling over Keade.

At that very moment, Keade opened her eyes, and looked at the faces around her. "Am I now in the presence of the spirits?" she asked. She looked first at Kaiba, and saw the Sorcerer of Ancient Egypt. She looked at Ayumi, and saw the demon Kagura. Then, her gaze fell on Souta. She gasped, and grabbed his wrist.

"What the!" he cried in surprise.

"I knew! I knew the old gods lived on! Father was right!" she said, hysterical. "You did it all didn't you? You brought the ancient ones back…You…." she fell back, fainting. Ayumi came over and placed her palm on the wrinkled head.

"Her fever's breaking." Ayumi said.

"Monsters!" screamed villagers outside. Kaiba, Ayumi, and Tristan grabbed their weapons, and met Duke outside by the irrigation trenches where demons of all calibers and shapes were attacking farms and fields. Suddenly, one of them turned towards their hut and said, "The old woman is there! Finally we shall have our revenge, just as master Naraku said!" and the horde came flooding towards them.

"By the power of Ra, I cast you into the Pit!" Kaiba shouted, aiming the Millennium Rod and wiping out the front lines. But more still came. "What a tine for dog boy and his sword to be missing in action."

"Oh No!" Shippo cried, cringing.

"You wanted excitement," Mokuba said to Souta, "You got it."

"I sure did," Souta whimpered. As Kaiba and Ayumi attacked with Black Lightening and Dancing Blades, Souta felt a strange tingling in his hands. At first he thought it was fear, then suddenly his hands began to shake.

"They're breaking through!" Tristan yelled as he and Duke hacked demons apart with machetes and axes.

"They'll be killed!" Shippo cried, covering his eyes, "I can't watch!"

"We got to get Keade out of here,"Mokuba said, grabbing the fox cub, "Come on, Souta!"

Souta just stood there. Paralyzed.

"Souta!" Mokuba called, as the demons were bearing down on them.

"Nuh…nuh…. Nuh, nuh, NO!" Souta cried. His eyes glowed white, and he threw up his hands, electricity and fire shooting from his fingertips, consuming the demons in a matter seconds. "This I cannot allow," said a voice as the bright lights died away. "Naraku has interfered with my plans for the last time." A storm of dust came, and covered the land.

When the dust cleared, they looked around, and in the hut. Souta and Keade were inside. Souta was kneeling beside the crone, holding her wrinkled hand in his small glowing hand.

"What the heck is going on?" Duke asked quietly as the bewildered group looked on from the door.

Souta's hair was disheveled. And he turn to look upon them, his eyes were blank, and glowing with white fire.

"Dude, things are officially creepy," Tristan announced.

"You have no idea, Tristan Taylor," Souta said. Only, it wasn't Souta's voice. The voice that came from the boy's mouth was that of a grown man, much deeper, like the rumblings of a volcano coming out of dormancy.

"Okay, kid, I want some answers," Kaiba said.

"You shall have them…Seto Kaiba." said the boy. "But first I think introductions are in order…"

"What do you mean?" Ayumi asked, "You're Kagome's little brother. I was there when your parents brought you home from the hospital…You are Souta, right?"

"Yes, and no." he said. "The boy you know as Souta is just show. I am Loki. Your people once knew me as the God of Chaos."

"That's it, I've had it," Kaiba said angrily. "I can accept reincarnated priestesses, pharaohs and half demons. But gods? Please! For all I know, you're just a kid who's doing a terrific magic trick."

"You doubt my powers?" Loki/Souta said, "Then witness! As I am reborn, so shall Keade be." He rose, and opened his hands, palms out. A shield of purple light surrounded the woman on the palet, and she was lifted to her feet. Slowly, her white hair seeped dark black from the roots, down to the ends. Her wrinkled skin tightened, and became smooth once more, her back straightened, no longer bowed with age and strife. An eye that once saw in blurred vision cleared, and she lifted her head, and her hands, in them appeared an ashen bow. Across her back, a quiver of arrow.

Finally, she spoke in a voice as clear and powerful as a waterfall, "I am The Priestess Keade. What do you ask of me?"


	5. The Chalice of The Sun Goddess

Chapter Five: The Sacred Chalice of the Sun Goddess 

As they passed by the sparkling walls, Miroku read aloud to them the story held withn the ancient markings.

"Long ago, after the perfect islands of Japan were formed, Amateratsu gave birth to a son, one she loved dearly. When he reached the age of manhood, he was wounded in battle, and the Goddess, to save him, dipped her hands in pure gold and fed him water from her gilded hands. He was healed, and the casings of her hands were refordged into a chalice, and the sword that created the lands was bestowed on him, whilst the sacred chalice kept here, that none but the pure and true can touch or drink of."

"Does it say which room?" Kagome asked. "All are filled with cups and chalices!"

"There's only one room that could have the chalice," Miroku said, "The in the tomb of the first Emperor of Japan."

"Great, where's that?" Inu-yasha asked.

"We'll never find it in time," Joey said, leaning against a torch sconce on the wall. It moved suddenly, and the entire wall swung inward. In the room was a single window, where the sun shone through the mountain. And down on a couch of silver, in perfect condition, untouched by time, lay an Emperor… The Emperor. And in his hands was a golden cup, whose bowl was in the shape of two delicate cupped hands.

The company stood in awe of the sight for minutes. Inu-yasha, Miroku, Sango, and Kagome knelt to the still form in reverence. Then, Kagome stood up, and slowly, carefully put her hands on the cup and said, "Please, the life of someone we love is in danger. She will die tomorrow if we don't help her. If you deem our quest worthy, please let us have the Chalice, Amateratsu… Please." and with that… She lifted it from the Emperor's hands.

The sighs of relief they let out were echoing.

"Well, let's get out of here and get this baby to Kaede," Joey said.

"Just a minute," Inu-yasha said. He took the scabbard that hung at the Emperor's side, and removed from his belt.

"Inu-yasha! What are you doing!" Miroku exclaimed.

"That was made by a Goddess!" Sango yelled.

"It's not yours, put it back!" Yugi/Yami added.

"Oh, come on," Inu-yasha said, trying it out, "I have total respect for the Emperor and Amateratsu, but he ain't using it! And we need all the help we can get against those Nine Riders." Still, as they were leaving the tomb, a cup from the other rooms fell to the floor with a clang. They all turned their heads to the rolling cup, but then, more started to fall, and then they registered that the floor was starting to move.

"Oh great, now you did it," Mai said. "She's mad at us!"

"Why did you take that Sword?" Bakura asked as bits of rock started to fall from the ceiling and the walls started to crack.

"Hey, how was I supposed to know!" Inu-yasha snarled.

"We have to get out of here!" Kagome yelled, slipping the Chalice into her backpack.

"This way!" Miroku ordered. They raced through caverns, along the forgotten city and its now cracking and rumbling pillars. It was not long before whole boulders crashed in front of them, almost as if they were being thrown down deliberately in the old celestial being's wrath. They dodged each one until they found the series of archways they'd entered through before, and followed each one, covering their heads as the city behind them was covered and sealed away by the falling bits of the mountain.

"Look!" Miorku cried as they saw light up ahead.

"We made it!" Serenity said happily.

When they came out of the cave entrance, they looked around, and Joey said, "Better rephrase that sis." They were surrounded by snarling wolves and wolf demons! And standing in front of them all was… "Kouga!" Inu-yasha growled. "What they heck are you doing?"

"I've come to kill that witch," Kouga replied.

"What witch?" Serenity asked.

"That one right there!" Kouga replied, pointing at Kagome.

"What? I'm not a witch!" Kagome said.

"I thought you were in love with Kagome," Yugi/Yami said.

"I am, but that's not Kagome," Kouga answered. "And don't try to pretend you are, you witch. I know who you are Kikyo!"

"Okay, you've gone nuts," Kagome said, "I'm not Kikyo!"

"You're tricks won't work on me, Kikyo, I know you put a spell on Kagome's friends so you could take her place, and then you tried to kill her! The real Kagome told me so herself!"

"What are you talking about?" Inu-yasha demanded. "This IS Kagome! Can't you smell her?"

"I was warned about that too!" Kouga said. "I'm not surprised that she could fool you so easily. But I promised my Kagome that I wouldn't kill you. The only one I'm after is the witch. So look in your hearts and minds and see who she really is, and hand her over, or I'll have no choice."

"This guy gets dumber and dumber," Mai said.

"Kouga, you've obviously been tricked," Miroku said.

"He's right, Kouga. I'm me!" Kagome said.

"I've heard enough!" Kouga yelled. "Attack, my wolves!" His small army charged, and Yugi/Yami threw up his Mind Crush barrier to confuse them wolves long enough for them to make a run for the woods.

"I'm not runnin," Inu-yasha declared, turning back around, his hand on his scabbard.

"I'm not running either," Bakura said, as he turned into Li Zhou, and slapped on his duel disk. "My Shadow powers will handle this." He took out a card and said, "I summon Whiptail Crow!" From the disk erupted a light, and with that light came the humanoid shaped bird, and at it's master's command, it attacked the wolves.

Meanwhile Inu-yasha had drawn his sword, but with the first swipe, he realized, "Dang!" he yelled, looking at the sword in his hand. "I drew the wrong one. This is the one from the cave."

"Inu-yasha! Give me the witch!" Kouga cried as he came rushing at him, his own sword drawn. Inu-yasha had no time to get out Tetsusaiga, he raised the Sun Goddess's sword to block the blow, and as the two blades clashed, with a BANG, Kouga was five feet away on the ground, dazed.

"What the?" Inu-yasha said, "What just happened?" he looked at the sword in his hand again…

"What was that?" Kouga demanded, getting up on unsteady legs, "Some witch sword that Kikyo gave you?"

"For the last time, Kikyo's not involved in this!" Inu-yasha answered. "AdnI don't know what happened."

"Inu-yasha!" Miroku cried from above them, on Kirara's back, "Hurry! We need to get back to the village!"

"I ain't leavin till I skin this wolf once and for all," Inu-yasha answered.

"But Inu-yasha-!" Yugi/Yami started to protest.

"Yami," Kagome said, "Take the Chalice with you."

"Kagome what are you saying?" the Pharaoh asked as the she took the sacred relic from her back pack.

"He can't fight them alone. You guys will have to save Kaede. We're staying with Inu-yasha." When she handed him the Chalice, Kagome leaped down from Kirara, along with Sango and Miroku, all ready for battle.

"Kirara, take them home," Sango ordered the cat. With a roar, Kirara obeyed, grabbed Bakura/Li Zhou, and took to the sky.

"Now," Miroku said, unwrapping his hand, "With four of us fighting, let's see how long you can stand."

"We're gonna knock some sense into you before were done," Inu-yasha boasted.

"I promised not to hurt anybody Kagome cared about," Kouga growled, his vision finally clearing. "But if you stand in my way I won't make any guarantees."

"For the last time, I AM Kagome!" Kagome yelled at him. "Do I have to knock your block off before you get that?"

"No more lies!" Kouga growled. The wolves pounced on them as they charged in wave after wave of whipping, howling, biting and scratching. The four warriors were outnumbered. And just as Kouga had made his way through, something whizzed from the sky, and struck him in the back. He staggered, and fell to his knees as hus tribesmen halted in fear.

"Look at the sky!" one cried.

"A flight of dragons!" yelled another.

Inu-yasha and his comrades looked up, and on the back of a Blue Eyes white dragon was ayoung woman in priestess robes, her brown black hair tied back, and a patch over her right eye. In her hands her ashen bow was drawn, and aimed at the wolves' leader.

"Kouga, thou shalt leave them be." she said as the winged creature landed and let her dismount. The other dragons followed suit, and their riders also dismounted: Kaiba, Tristan, Ayumi, Duke, Shippo, Mokuba, and Souta.

"And who theh- are you?" Kouga demanded.

"Do ye not know me?" She looked at the flabbergasted Inu-yasha, who'd been struck speechless. Then to Kagome. "Do ye know me, child?"

"Kaede?" Kagome whispered, afraid and overjoyed all at once.

"Aye," she said. "I was once called 'old' and 'granny', and ye yourself oft called me witch, Kouga. But I am now reborn, until my mission is completed."

"What's going on here?" Inu-yasha suddenly shouted. "How the heck did get young? And who told Kouga that Kagome was Kikyo?"

"Naraku," said Souta/Loki.

"Souta?" Kagome gasped, reaching for her brother. "what's wrong with your voice?"

"Step back," Kaede warned her, pulling her away form the boy. "He is no longer the Souta you knew."

"I am Loki, The Lord of Chaos," the boy said. "And I will show you the truth, Kouga." he stepped up to the wolf, pointed his finger and Kouga was shocked stark still as he received a vision of what was going on in the cave.

_A person in Kagome's school uniform was walking around the corridors, stabbing wolves with tentacle like appendages that shot from her body, her eyes glowing red. Until she came to a central cavern, that housed Kouga newest Jewel Shard, and many pilfered weapons.-_

At the end of the vision Kouga fell on his hands, his eyes wide with disbelief, and his bdy trembling with anger and grief and self loathing.

"You see how he can manipulate?" Souta/Loki asked. Then, the boy turned to the rest who stood there, and said, "I see I must explain. Very well then…I will start at the beginning. I am the one who transformed Kaede into her youthful state. I did it because I am tired of Naraku meddling in my plans. I am tired of having to fight my rival in Chaos time and time again."

"Souta, what are you talking about?" Kagome said.

"Kagome," he said, starting to cry, but holding back, "I'm not Souta. At least not the Souta you thought I was.

"It began 50 years ago. I encountered a half breed named Inu-yasha. I was an old man, then, hooded and cloaked…"

**Flashback**-

"So, you're looking for a way to become a full demon?" asked the hooded old man.

"That's right? What of it?" Inu-yasha answered.

"I know of a way." the old man said. "In a village north and east of here is a Jewel. The Sacred Shikon no Tama, which can fulfill anyone's great desire."

"Anyone's desire…" Inu-yasha repeated, entranced.

**Flashback end**-

"So I sent Inu-yasha to the village, and to a certain lonely priestess there. I knew her heart, and she was truly alone. I meant to send her a companion, one who would lessen her loneliness, and help protect the Shikon Jewel. I delighted in myself in thinking what perfect chaos I had wrought in pairing a priestess and a half demon as lovers. The tales that would be spread would spawn magnificent legends, and all would be my doing.

"But then Onigumo made a deal with the devil. He gave up his body and soul so he could possess the Jewel and the Priestess. He interfered with my plans, and I watched helplessly as all I had worked so hard to create was destroyed. A great love shattered by mistrust and hate. And many lives ruined."

"I wandered through the history of the world, spreading chaos as I had once before. Until the day… When Kikyo was reborn as Kagome. I saw the opportunity as revenge, and took it! I waited until her mother was with child again, and I entered that body, merging with it's human soul."

"So then it was you who led Kagome to the well that day," Miroku said.

"With a little help from Boyou, yes," Souta/Loki admitted. "I arranged it all: the well, the missing cat, the loosened covering…"

"Stop it Souta! Stop it!" Kagome cried, running to her brother, gripping his shoulders. "You can't mean any of this."

"It's all true, Kagome," Souta/Loki said. "And I also orchestrated other things. Didn't you find it odd that only weeks after I developed an interest in Duel Monsters that yours and Yugi'a two worlds merged?"

"And I met Joey… But wait a minute! If you wanted me and Inu-yasha to be together again, then why did you throw Joey into the mix?" Kagome asked.

"I wanted to test your love," Souta said. "Naraku had interfered, and I wanted to make sure your love was stronger now…And it turned out to be just as frail as before. Never the less, you are soul mates, and meant to be together. I have orchestrated everything up to this point, and now it's time for me to have my revenge against him."

"Yeah, well get in line," Inu-yasha said. "We wanna get him too."

"I can help you all get your revenge, Inu-yasha," Souta/Loki said. "Chaos will triumph. But there are loose ends that must be cleaned up."

"Loose ends?" Sango asked.

"You're brother, Kohaku, for one," Souta/Loki answered. "Kaede's curse, for another. And the wandering remains of Kikyo. These tings must each be dealt with if we are to prevail."

"What about me?" Kouga asked, getting up, "Am I a loose end too?"

"No, just an unforeseen pest," Souta/Loki said. "You were never supposed to meet Kagome, or challenge Inu-yasha for her love. I had other plans for Kouga, the Wolf King."

"The Wolf King?" Kouga asked.

"Yes. Ah, the things that might have been…Return to your wolve's lair, Kouga. Save as many as you can. For though Naraku has penetrated your defenses, it is only a demon puppet. It can be easily destroyed."

Kouga nodded, and with a grunt and gesture he started to lead his army back tot heir mountains. As the wolves dissipated, Souta/Loki said, "I'm sorry, Kagome. I was wrong to deceive you and mother, and Grandpa. I've come to love you all so much, and yet once my revenge is carried out, I must leave this body."

"But… what will happen to Souta when you do?" Kagome asked weepily.

"Death comes to us all, eventually." he answered. "Even us 'gods' are not immortal."

"But… But you can't die!" Kagome cried, taking the boy in a tight hug.

"Aw sis…" he said, sounding almost like the child he had been.

"Is there no way to prolong your life?" Sango asked. "I know the pain of watching a brother die, I refuse to let Kagome know that pain!"

"I'm already growing weaker," Souta/Loki said. "I used what strength I ha reserved to give Kaede her strength and youth back. But the curse has not been lifted. She must still kill the one whom she is bound to before sundown."

"But Xung Ho is dead," Miroku said.

"He lives in a half living-half dead state, as the leader of the Riders Narkau sent."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Inu-yasha said. "We'll head back to the village and rally my army. We'll ride after Naraku just like before."

"Yugi can handle that," Kaiba said. "I rode to war with you once, Inu-yasha. And you didn't finish the job when you had the chance. I won't ride again."

"Then ye will follow me to break my curse," Kaede said to him sternly. "I will need many with ethereal powers to help me lure the demon to where he first placed this curse on me."

"You mean?" Inu-yasha asked.

"The top of the mountain," Kaede said pointing to the steaming Mt. Fuji.

"Awww great!" Inu-yasha grumbled. "Now we gotta climb it."

"Stop barking, Inu-yasha," Kaede said. You must go to the village and rally your forces. I and the Sorcerer shall climb."

"It'd be easier to take a dragon." Kaiba said.

"We are bait, Sorcerer. We are allowed to many liberties." she said, walking towards the volcano.

"Maybe riding to war isn't such a bad idea," Kaiba said as he followed the priestess.

**Transition-**

From the woods, under the shadow of the trees, two familiar beings were conversing when they happen to overhear what had transpired.

"It would seem your brother needs you, Sesshomaru,"

The dog demon looked to the woman with a cold, indifferent stare. "How is my brother to learn to stand on his own if I am always there to get him out of trouble? Then he will be strong enough to fight me, when I choose to destroy him."

"Sesshomaru, if you wanted Inu-yasha dead, you would have killed him a long time ago." said the woman.

"The same could be said of you. Kikyo." he pointed out.

"I am a loose end," Kikyo said to herself, pondering what she had seen.

**Transition-**

Naraku cried out in anger as he sensed the wolf demon's fangs on his doll. His ruse had been discovered. As he felt the puppet's life energy evaporate, he threw aside his baboon cloak.

"I have had enough games with these wretches," Naraku declared. "I will no longer hide behind puppets and facades. If I want that Half-breed dead, I will have to kill him myself!"

**Authors' Note**-

Please Review


	6. The Red Warrior Rides Again

**Authors' Notes**: Sorry it's been so long. Now, I know we said we'd wait till June,but we can't. after this post, look for 'Star Wars, Anime Style' and 'Red Kitsune'! Now read and enjoy. 

**Chapter Six: The Red Warrior Rides Again**

As smoke billowed from the orifice of Fuji, Kaede and Kaiba finally reached the top. As the young priestess helped the Sorcerer on the final step, Kaiba looked over her shoulder.

"We have company," he said, sneering. Kaede turned, was met with a familiar face.

"Sister Kikyo," she said. "What are ye doing here? Ye are in danger!" "We're the ones in danger, idiot," Kaiba said, "She's dead. She can't be trusted."

"How dare you?" Kaede said. "I don't care. She was my sister once."

"Enough Kaede," Kikyo said. Kaede looked to her older sister, confused.

"Sister?" she asked.

"I am not your sister anymore Kaede. I am an empty shell. The Sorcerer is right to mistrust me. So long the powers the living priestess had inhabit my cold hands, I am no better than a demon. I have come here for one reason and one reason alone." Around them, the soul collectors began to disperse, they let go of the souls they had gathered, some began to cal the souls form Kikyo's body, letting them rise to the sky.

"This has to be a trick," Kaiba said, watching the glowing orbs escape.

"Not this time," Kikyo said. "Inu-yasha will be coming here soon. He will meet Naraku in battle. And if he dies, I will with him. As I should have been."

_**Transition**_

As Haji carried them back to village, Inu-yasha looked down to see that many people had already gathered around now empty hut. And with them were Yugi and the rest of the company.

"Could word have gone out so quickly?" Miroku asked.

"No," Inu-yasha said, "Something's wrong."

"Haji, land." Miroku ordered the raccoon-dog.

"Give me a moment, I'm not your slave." the raccoon replied. They set down, and hurried to the hut.

"Yugi, what's going on man?" Tristan asked.

"Kaede is gone," Yugi/Yami said. "And we've just heard the Naraku's forces are on the move."

"Kaede's fine," Kagome said, Souta in her arms. "But something's wrong with my brother. On our way back he just passed out."

"Maybe Loki's power is starting to give out," Duke suggested.

"Loki? The God of Chaos?" Yugi/Yami asked.

"Yeah, Loki's been in Souta's body. He;s the one who caused this to happen, from the day Kagome fell down the well, to the school getting trashed, on to today. He even made Kaede young again."

"Geez, how can one kid do that?" Joey asked.

"Anything is possible, when the Lord of Chaos is involved." Yugi/Yami said.

Souta stirred in Kagome's arms. "Souta?" she asked.

"K- Kagome… good bye… sis," Souta/Loki said, gripping her sleeve, closing his eyes as the pain swelled in him.

"No!" Kgaome screamed, holding the boy tighter, tears streaming down her cheeks again. "Souta! Please, please don't die on me!"

"Here, the Chalice," Yugi/Yami said, getting it out of the back pack. "let him use it."

Kagome didn't question. She laid her brother on the ground, grabbed the back pack and Chalice, dumped the bag's contents out and opened a bottle of water. She pour it into the gilded hands hands of the cup, and held the rim to Souta's mouth. "Come on," she said. "Come on Souta, you gotta drink. I won't let you die."

As she tipped the Chalice, some water just went down Souta's chin and face, but his clouded eyes suddenly cleared, and he started sipping at the water. Finally he gulped it down, until the cup was empty. He raised a hand to his own face, then said in his normal voice. "Once again…. I'm immortal."

"Souta?" Kagome asked, wiping her face.

"Hey sis… What's goin on?" asked weakly. "What happened to the demons?"

"He's back!" Ayumi said.

"Glad to have ya back squirt," Inu-yasha said, ruffling the boy's hair. Then he turned to the people gathered. "Well? What are you standing around here for? Naraku's coming this way, that means we gotta move out."

"You mean just abandon our homes and crops?" one man asked.

"Houses can be rebuilt and crops resown, but Naraku's coming after us. The people who live here. And besides, if we lead him away form the village, he's won't cause that much destruction. Right now we need to get the women and children to a safe place."

"They can take refuge in my village," said a man with a deep voice, riding up on a horse. The crowd moved to let the samurai pass.

"And who are you?" Inu-yasha asked. Kagome got up and squealed.

"Oh my gosh!" Kagome said. "It's really him! The real Oda Nobunaga!"

"What?" Inu-yasha asked. Kagome ran past him, a notebook and pen in hand.

"You must be Kagome," said Oda Nobunaga, "A boy from the Takeda clan said you were looking for me."

"Taked Nobunaga?" Inu-yasha asked.

"Why yes. Quite a strange boy. Last I saw him, he had a monkey on his head."

"That's Takeda Nobunaga alright," Kagome said. She handed the note pad to him and said, "Can I please have your autograph?"

"Um, certainly," said the great historic warrior, writing his name down. Inu-yasha crossed his arms.

"You were saying something about my people taking refuge in your village?" he asked.

"Yes," Oda Nobunaga said. "If you are having trouble with a warlord, I am more than happy to help, Lord Inu-yasha. Yes, I've heard tales about your adventures and your great deeds to help the people. You've grown into a legend almost as great as my own. And I've heard much of you, King Yami of Egypt."

"Then would ya mind lending some troops to help us?" Inu-yasha asked. "We need all the help we can get."

"Yes, for we go up against no ordinary human warlord, but a demon of great an terrible power," Yugi/Yami said.

"My men await, armed and ready for battle," Oda said. "Let us ride together."

"Alright then," Inu-yasha said. Within hours, the men of the village and surrounding farms were marching out, saying farewell to their families, and following the Red Armored Inu-yasha as he rode out beside Pharaoh Yami, Oda Nobunaga, and his generals.

_**Transition**_

From the forest, Sesshomaru, the child Rin, and Shessomaru's squire Jaken, watched the army of humans go forth.

"Lord Sesshomaru, what will happen if your brother does not defeat the demon?"

"Then I will take you away form this land," Sesshomaru answered, "For if it will not be fit to live in if Naraku wins."

The girl stared wide eyed as she watched the children turning to another road. Her eyes catching the fox boy, the Sorcerer's brother, and the boy in priest robes.

Transition

Naraku watched in Kana's old, broken mirror, though he could not hear, he knew they had massed against him. He sneered and tossed the mirror to the ground, shattering it completely.

"So they mean take me down this way? A rabble of pathetic humans? Very well then!" He turned to the old battle field, the muddy ground mixed with rain and sweat and blood, and raising his arms, he shouted. "Come forth, my legions of the undead!" the mud started bubbling in sparse places, then it began to boil as skeletons and half rotted corpses arose, picking up weapons at will.

"Takashi!" he ordered. From miles away, the hooded servant grabbed his head as naraku's rang loud in it.

"ARRRR!" he cried, "Master Naraku! What have I done to displease you?"

"I want you to go to Fuji. Cut Inu-yasha's army off. Destroy them. Or I will send into darkness myself."

"Yes Master," the slave replied. He gestured to his eight subordinates, and their steeds carried them southwest.


	7. The Battle On Mount Fuji

**Chapter Seven: The Battle On Mount Fuji**

"Tell me, Inu-yasha," Oda said, "What will you do when you've found al the shards of the Shikon Jewel?"

"What else," Inu-yasha answered. "I'm gonna become a full demon."

"That saddens my heart, Inu-yasha," Oda said. "Haven't you thought of becoming something greater than a demon?"

"What? Becoming human?" Inu-yasha asked.

"No," Oda Nobunaga said, "I mean becoming who you were born to be."

"What are you talking abut?" Inu-yasha asked.

"This war torn land of ours needs heroes, Inu-yasha. I will not live forever, and once I united this land again and died, someone will need to take on my cause and defend it if we are to have a lasting peace."

"That's something I never thought I'd hear from you, Oda Nobunaga. Aren't you one of the most dangerous warlords out there?"

"I may be a warlord now, Inu-yasha. But once I was a peace loving man. I forge alliances by the sword now, but there will come a day when alliances will be forged by paper and pen. I will need skilled warriors by my side to help guard the peace I intend to win for this war-torn land. I want you to give some thought to joining me in my crusade."

_**Transition**_

As soul catching demons flew away form the smoking crater at the top of Fuji, Takashi managed to grab one in his iron clad hand.

"This belongs to my enemy's dead sister." he said, letting it go. "But I flies it is releasing souls. That can only mean… Full speed to the mountain, NOW!" their steeds hissed and flew on.

_**Transition**_

From above the three on the volcano there came a loud shriek that pierced their ears, making Kaiba and Kaede fall to the ground, covering their ear.

"They're here!" Kaiba yelled. Kaede turned and looked to the sky, and saw them. The nine demons clad in sable robes, and their leader, who's hood flew back at the rush of the wind, revealinga skull that bore a red eye on the brow.

"The mark! Xung Ho! I gave you that mark over 30 years ago!" Kaede yelled, aiming her arrow.

"And I will kill you for it!" he cried at her. The steeds opened their mouths, and with more shrieks, they spewed fire directly at Kaede and Kaiba, but before the flames could reach them, a sheild had been thrown up, sending the blaze back at the riders.

"What!" Exclaimed the skull. He looked, and the holes that were his eyes blazed as they saw Kikyo with her arms raised.

"Still hiding from me are you? First your master, now that clay husk that calls herself your sister."

Kaede fired her first arrow, and it hit Nobu, the rider to the left, while Kaiba fired white lightening, and took out three more riders. Kaede then took out two arrows, and fired them both at once, hitting the riders that were shooting fire at Kikyo. The priestess's shield was fading. Finally, they were down to Takashi, his minions picked off.

"Who is the one who has been hiding?" Kaede asked. "You have no more distractions, Xung Ho."

"Oh but we do," laughed the skull. He raised his arm and green fire formed in his palm. "Now I shall have my revenge. We die today priestess!" His entire body erupted in green fire and charged at Kaede. But then, Kikyo ran forward and pushed both Kaede and Kaiba down, just as Xung Ho came down on top of her. She grabbed onto his rams and they fell, and rolled to and over the lip of the crater.

"Sister Kikyo!" Kaede screamed and grabbed her hand just as she went over. Then both felt a heavy weight pulling them. Xung Ho had grabbed Kikyo's leg, and was laughing louder and louder.

"Kaede, drop me." Kikyo urged her.

"No!" Kaede said.

"It is the only to kill him. I have no purpose here, sister. I am just a loose end. You said it yourself; I must return to the grave."

Her eyes filled with tears, Kaede dropped Kikyo, and both she and the demon fell into the fire.

Kaiba got up and stood behind her, looking into the pit. Then he did something he never thought he'd do. Especially for Kikyo. He clapped his hand together, and bowed his head.  
"Goodbye sister," Kaede said. As Kaede and Kaiba descended the mountain together, they looked to the south east.

"That's Naraku's army," Kaiba said. "He's on the move again."

"Then we shall meet ere sun rises." Kaede said.

_**Transition**_

As the army was camped, Kagome watched the sun setting. She couldn't explain it, but she knew Kaede was alright. She knew her heart somehow that the old priestess had defeated the curse. And she knew something more. Something that troubled her deeply. As the girl turned to her tent, she thought she heard someone say her name.

"Kagome," she heard again. It was a woman's voice. She knew this voice. Suddenly she wasn;t in the camp anymore. She was in a place in her mind. And before stood the image of Kikyo.

"What do you want," Kagome asked.

"You need not fear me anymore, Kagome. I am dead once again. And now I have passed through the spirits again, I see the truth. I see myself living still. I live in you, and because I live on, so must Inu-yasha. Now, I return to you what has always been yours." She held out her arms, and to glow. Then, she erupted into particles of light, and floated back into Kagome.

Kagome wrapped her arms around herself as she felt the power flowing back, feeling whole once again. When it was done, she was standing at her tent again. "Kikyo," she whispered.

"What's that?" Inu-yasha asked from behind. She turned.

"Huh?"

"What about Kikyo?" he asked her again. She went into his arms. She was crying.

"She- she's gone," Kagome said. "No, she's not gone. Not really. She's… part of me again."

"What?" he asked, holding her.

"I can't really explain it… I just know that she's not there anymore. It's like a missing part of my soul that Kikyo took with her has been… returned to me."

'Kikyo's gone?' Inu-yasha said to himself. 'Then… that means I'm free.' "Kagome, doyou know what this means?"

"What?" she asked.

**_Transition_**

Meanwhile, Souta sat on a log by the river. The laughter of children from the villages rang behind him as they played. But as the sun disappeared and gave way to night, Souta smiled.

'She's gone, isn't she Loki,' he asked.

'Not so,' Loki said to his young counterpart. 'She lives on in our sister, Kagome. Just as it should be.'

"Hey Souta!" Shippo called. "We're playing ball. Wanna be on my team?"

"Sure," Souta said, leaping up to join his friends.

_**Transition**_

As his untiring, undead horde marched on under the moon, Naraku felt the shifting of the universe, and he smiled.

"At least I managed to get rid of one nuisence. And I no longer have to worry about that useless servant anymore. Now I need only crush Inu-yasha and his army before the world is mine."

_**Transition**_

"What does it mean, Inu-yasha?" Kagome asked.

Before he could answer, he sniffed the air, and scowled. "Oh no."

"What?" Kagome asked, looking at him. "What is it?"

"He's back." Inu-yasha said.

"Lord Inu-yasha, this young claims to have business with you," a soldier said, leading Kouga behind him.

"And what do you want?" Inu-yasha asked, blocking Kagome from Kouga.

"I wanna make a deal," Kouga said.

_**Transition**_

Men scattered as the Blue Eyes White Dragon landed in the middle of the camp, and Kaiba and Kaede dismounted the creature. As Kaiba recalled the Dragon back to it's card, Kaede went off immediately in search of Kagome and Inu-yasha.

_**Transition**_

"I wanna know what you and Kouga talked about," Inu-yasha said to Kagome after Kouga had left. "And just why did he suddenly give you those Jewel shards when he's been hording them away for over two years?"

"He said he still thought maybe Loki's prediction would come true, but he felt it wouldn't as long as he had the shards. He said I could have as long as I promised that you would never go near his territory ever again."

"So now you're making my promises for me?" he asked.

"It was the only way to get his two Jewel Shards," Kagome said defensively.

"Stop your barking, Inu-yasha," said a voice behind them. They turned and saw the young Kaede walking towards them. "Ye have what ye wanted. Are ye not content?"

"Kaede, you made it!" Kagome said happily, hugging her.

"Of course. Was there any doubt?" Kaede said with a smile.

"Getting a little aren't ya, old woman?" Inu-yasha asked her.

"Old I may be," Kaede said to the han-you, "But in this form, I am a force to be reckoned with."

"Kaede," Kagome said, "Um…"

"Aye, I know," said the priestess. "I saw it happen. But know that she died with no hate in her heart, this time."

"You're talking about Kikyo, right?" Inu-yasha asked darkly.

"Aye," said Kaede. "But that matter is over. Now we must look the destruction of Naraku. Inu-yasha, I shall serve ye and your army as best I may."

"Then come with me," Inu-yasha said, leading her to Oda Nobunaga's tent, where the head generals and commanders were to make their plan of attack.

"Lord Inu-yasha, welcome," Oda said, "You are just in time. Who is this you bring?"

"Her name's Kaede, and she's a powerful priestess," Inu-yasha said.

"Our scouts report that Naraku's army of the dead are moving fast."

"That would make sense, since dead soldiers need no rest," Yugi/Yami said.

"Our victory does not depend on a full frontal assault," said one Nobunaga's generals, "But one form the rear."

"Inu-yasha, you and King Yami shall engage the front lines, and keep Naraku distracted while my forces manover around his flank and approach him from the north east. This will confuse our enemy. He won't be expecting my troops to come from behind."

"Just don't think this is fool proof," Inu-yasha warned them. "You don't know Naraku like I do. He's tricky. He may make incarnations or make demon puppets to warn him of anything unexpected. And he may have a possessed demon slayer fighting with him. I want that boy taken alive if possible."

"But why, if he fights for the enemy," asked a general.

"He's been brainwashed," Kagome said. "He doesn't know what he's doing. Besides, we promised his sister we'd save him."

"Understood," Oda Nobunaga said. "And if Naraku somehow does manage to overpower us, none must be afraid to die with honor. But, the women who fight with us may have chance for escape. Lady Kagome, that will be your task."

"No way," Kagemsaid, clenching her fists. "I'm fighting too. If Inu-yasha goes down, we go down together."

"You really are stupid," Inu-yasha replied. "He's giving you a chance to get out of this."

"I don't want to get out of it," Kagome said. "I want to help."

"I don't want you to get killed."

"Kagome, all those who would survive if this attack should fail will look to ye for leadership and guidance," Kaede said. "Ye must live, if only to avenge us when we are gone."

Kagome just crossed her arms and scowled. "Alright, fine. But you'd better come back alive or I'll never forgive you, Inu-yasha."

"Then if there is nothing else, we shall part and be ready on the morrow," Oda said. He clapped his hands, and bowed his head to all, who replied the same.


	8. The End of All Things

**Chapter Eight: The End of All Things**

Morning came. The shadows and the mists of night dissipated, as an ethereal calm and silnce covered the earth. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the clash of swords, and the rustling of hooves as they beat down on the ground. The battle had begun.

Naraku's dead warriors engaged Inu-yasha's army at the base of the mountain. Fuji had become a battle field.

Just as planned, Inu-yasha and his friends kept Naraku distracted. They came over the hills just as Naraku's zombies had passed one of the great five lakes. The Millennium Bearers used their powers over time, the mind, and space to paralyze rotting soldiers a they cut them down or blew them away. Meanwhile, Kaede and Kagome's archers sent down a deadly rain.

And while all was chaos around them, Inu-yasha sought out Naraku. He dodged arrows form enemies and allies alike, as he searched and slashed down the ranks.

"Naraku!" he cried, "I know you're here! No more hiding!" he emphasized with a stab top dead warrior, "No more games! I want you to fight me!"

"It shall be as you wish…" said the hated voice as the dust of war grew thicker around him. "Half-breed!" Naraku cried as he brought down his evil, curse filled sword down to slice off Inu-yasha;s head, but Inu-yasha smelled him first. He brought up in one swift motion both the Tetsusaiga and the sword of Amateratsu, blocking the dark blade.

"What?" Naraku gasped. "It was a legend. It does not exist!"

"Are you tired of always being wrong?" Inu-yasha asked, pushing him back and charging. Every time Narkau made a thrust, a jab, a cut, any move, Inu-yasha blocked it with one sword and made an attack of his own with the other, upper cutting, spinning and hacking away at Naraku.

Then, Inu-yasha made a thrust, and cut the side of Naraku's neck, and as the dead stolen skin was hewned away, taking a chunk of hair with it, Naraku moved to counter, but Inu-yasha took the chance I his enemy's shock to stab him straight in the stomach with his father's sword.

As the old blade went through his body, Naraku grunted. "So… this is the power I have so long sought… but can never have…?"

Inu-yasha withdrew the sword, and with one final, clean cut, Inu-yasha tool off Naraku's head. And from the neck down, he disintegrated, and his ashes were scattered to the wind. All that remained was a burned skull. And within that skull… glowed the Shikon no Tama.

"Inu-yasha!" Kagome cried as the undead warriors fell back into the dust of the earth.

"Kagome," he called back. "I found it." She hurried to his side, and he kicked aside the skull. On the ground was their long sought prize. Carefully, unbelieving, Kagome knelt and pcked up the sacred Jewel. She took out her Jewel Shards, and pressed all into her palm. When she opened it, her hands glowing form the magic inside her and the Jewel, there was only one small sliver left open.

"Kohaku!" Sango's voice called in the distance. "Kohaku! Where are you? It's me, Sango, you're sister! Where are you?" They turned, and saw their friend searching through the bodies, and around the battle field. Tears streaked down her face as she searched in vain, for Kohaku was not there. When she dropped to her knees in despair, Miroku went to her and held her until her cries silenced.

**_Transition_**

It had been that way from every corner of the land. Soon, the cry went out to all creatures that Naraku, the menace, the great spider who lurked always in the shadows, was finally, truly dead, brought down by his mortal enemy at long last. When the message reached the encampment of women and children, they returned to their homes, and met with the great army as the men returned also. And when Inu-yasha, King Yami, and Oda Nobunaga met again, it was rejoice in victory and say goodbye.

"So, friend," Nobunaga said as they sat together around a banquet table in his camp, "Have you considered my offer? To be one of my generals?"

"Yeah," Inu-yasha said. "I've thought it over, and right now, I've still got too much on my plate. I still got that last Jewel Shard to look for, and I still have my people to protect, and I still have to many promises to keep. But if you ever need me, I'll be there. But until then, I want you to have this," Inu-yasha said, standing up and taking the Sword of the Sun Goddess from his belt. He knelt before Oda Nobunaga and without any regrets, passed the sword to him. "With this sword you can reunite Japan, and we can become the country we always should have been."

"I will cherish and protect this sacred treasure all my days, and my line after me as well." the great man said, accepting the gift.

"Speaking of gifts," Souta said. "Kaede, can we talk outside?"

"Of course lad," she replied following the boy. When they were out of earshot, Souta opened his arms, and he transformed into the image of a tall man with shaggy long red hair, covered in the pelts of countless, nameless animals. "Ye must be Loki," she said.

"Yes, this is my true form," Loki replied. "I have an offer for you. For a week you have lived with your restored youth and strength, knowing it would not last. Would you like it to last?"

"What are ye asking of me?" she asked.

"I am asking you to let me keep you young. I could even restore your eye. Would you like that? A second chance for a peaceful life?"

"I am grateful for your offer, but nay," she replied. "Now that my curse is broken, and my sister's true killer slain at last, I wish to return to my true age and form. What need have I for youth and the troubles it brings? I have tasted a full life. T'would not be fair to fill my cup again when there are still so many other who's cups are empty."

"Then at least grant let me restore your eyes. I know in your old form you were slowly losing in your good eye. Please, let me heal both, to repay you for the kindness you've done my sister?"

Kaede laughed, "I would never have thought a great celestial being would call a mortal woman his sister after just eight years of life as a human. Very well then. You may restore my sight completely."

Then, with a loud sound as a thunder clap, Loki slapped his hands together, and Kaede's body began to glow. "By morning you will return to your proper age. Savor this night." And with that he became the Souta again, shrinking into his second form.

_**Transition**_

"Where were you?" Inu-yasha asked Souta and Kaede as they returned.

"Just having a talk," Kaede said. "By the way, Inu-yasha, there was something I've have always wished to do, ever since I was a child."

"Huh?" he muttered as she walked and grabbed his ear, tweaking them. "Why you old bat! Let go!" he growled, shaking his head violently.

From across the table, Joey burst out laughing, "You should open up a booth! I get out of that every time!"

"How would you like me to give you a kick every time?" Inu-yasha threatened.

"Sit boy," Kagome said. FLASH WHAM! He fell across table.

Oda Nobunaga. Then looked to Yami. "And what will you do now that your war with Naraku is over? Are you returning to your lands in the west?"

"Hmmm?" went all of Yugi's friends.

"I… I'm not sure," Yugi/Yami said. "With the summer coming, and school ending soon… I suppose…"

"Yugi, man, what about our plan?" Joey asked.

"Yeah dude," Tristan added, "We we were gonna try to figure out the mysteries of your past."

"If there is one thing my adventures with Inu-yasha has taught me, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Mai, Serenity, Bakura, Duke, Mokuba, Kaiba, is that my past does not matter. My destiny lies elsewhere. Our friendship will never end, but I know you all have your own dreams. And I would see them fulfilled than have you give them up for my sake."

"But Yugi," Tea said, getting aup and sitting beside him, her hands resting on his arm. "If I go to New York and join the ballet, we might never see each other again."

"Not all good byes are forever, Tea. My journeys may bring me to your doorstep, someday Tea," he answered, lifting her chin up with his hand. "But we have the summer together, and who knows what adventures await us?"

_**Transition**_

The next morning, Kagome woke to the sound of someone else stirring in the camp. She got up and left her tent to see who coulf be up so early.

"Oh Kaede," she said, as the sun in front of them. "You're changed back to normal."

"Not entirely, my child. Not entirely." said the old woman, as she removed the eye patch she had worn since she was nine years old. She blinked, and rubbed her eyes, then turned to Kagome and smiled ash she saw her and the world clearer than ever.

_**Transition**_

After the armies or Oda Nobunaga had left, Yugi and the others from the present gathered their packs for what they knew would be the last time.

"Are ye certain ye shall not return here, King Yami?" Kaede asked.

"The Chaos Wars are over," Yugi/Yami answered, "There is no need for us to return. And our future lie elsewhere. It's time for us to go home and find our own way in life."

"We'll miss Kaede," Tea and Serenity said, hugging her. Then Joey came hugged her too.

"I'll miss your stew," he whimpered. "You can't get good eats like that anywhere else. No one else uses those seasonins."

"Oh brother," Mai said. Miroku, standing next to her got a look in his eye.

"Oh no you don't," Sango stopping him before he could start. "If you must, then here," she said, grabbing hand.

"Are you sure? You're not going to it me are you?" he asked.

"Of course not, we're an item now." Sango said. And Miroku grinned ear to ear as he rested his hand firmly where it always belonged.

"Kaede, I'd like to ask you a favor," Bakura said.

"Aye?"

"Please, can you take this? With Naraku dead, I don't know what he can do, and I don't want to risk it," Bakura said, giving the Millennium Ring. "I know you can keep it hidden."

"I shall guard it with my life, Young Bakura."

"Well," Yugi/Yami, turning to Inu-yasha, "I suppose we'll never stand together in this Era again."

"No, but I'll be coming back to your era plenty." Inu-yasha said.

"But know if you ever need me, Lord Inu-yasha…"

"Same here bud," and they shook hands at the wrist, like true kings of old.

_**Transition**_

When they returned to the present, Yugi and his friends and classmates Graduated Domino High. Their Feudal Friends were there to watch as they accepted their diplomas one by one, and Mai especially was proud of Joey. Tomorrow they would be going to Kagome and Ayumi's graduation in Tokyo, but tonight, they had one last bash at the Kaiba mansion for their friends Sango and Miroku, who finally got married.

"A toast to the happy couple!" Kagome cheered.

"Hurray!" everyone shouted as they popped the corks on Kaiba's best champagne. Sango and Miroku were just as Kagome once imagined them. Sango was in a American style elaborate wedding gown, embroidered with roses around the neckline and hem, and Miroku, in a suit of pure white, went with out his hand covering, free of his curse at last.

"I'm going to miss my Wind Tunnel," Miroku said.

"Maybe your curse also cured your wandering hands," Sango said. Suddenly she felt a familiar squeeze. "I told you to wait for that," she said.

"Old habits die hard," he said, but didn't move it.

"Speakin of weddins," Joey said said as he took and entire cake tier, "Mai…"

"Don't even ask hun," she said, "I have no plans of settling down yet."

"Aw come on," he said. "I mean, the thing is, earlier at graduation, Yugi said he and grandpa were going back to Egypt to help Pegasus with his expeditions, and they needed someone to run their shop while they're gone…"

"Joey, you old card shark," Mai said, "Are you asking me to be your business associate?"

"Well, the thought had crossed my mind. Just one thing thought," he said. Then he got a pair opf keys, "There's more than I need upstairs."

Mai sighed, "Fine, I'll move in. But I pay rent with money, understand?"

"Fine by me," Joey said, cause I ain't got any."

"Oh brother."

"Come'ere," he said, grabbing by the waist and dipping her, planting a huge smooch.

"So I suppose you'll be going back to running your company and funding tournaments and building theme parks, huh?" little Yugi asked Kaiba.

"Actually, I've thought that I'd retire and live the life I've always wanted." Kaiba said. He put down his plate and said, "You might not know this Yugi, but using that old magic has left me a little drained. I feel like I've aged far too fast. I think I actually need to grow down."

"I never thought I'd see the day that Seto Kaiba made a joke," Yugi said.

"Hmph, I guess I've been hanging around you and you're friends too long. Don't go thinking that we're 'pals' or anything. As far as I'm concerned, Yugi,. You're still my greatest rival."

"I wouldn't expect anything less, Kaiba," Yugi said.

From behind him, a pink bubble grew huge, and then started knowing on Kaiba's head. Kaiba got a pen, and soundly popped Shippo's bubble, one last time while Mokuba and Souta rolled on the floor laughing.

**_Transition_**

That next afternoon, After Kagome and her classmates received their diplomas, and afterwards Kagome and her friends gathered together in her mother's living room. Her mom was in the kitchen fixing snacks, while Gramps chopped vegetables, and Souta played with Boyou. When Mrs. Higurashi entered with the laden snack tray, everyone went quiet.

"What's this?" she asked. "You didn't stop talking on my account. And just whatre the great adventurers going to do over summer break?"

"Yes indeed," Gramps added. "What's on the schedule this time? A tournament to decide the fate of the world? New demons to slay? Perhaps a trip to a different dimension?"

"Mom, Gramps, I have to tell you something," Kagome said, hanging her head.

"Oh dear, you're not pregnant are you?" her mom said.

Kagome's head jerked up as she blushed and said, "What? No!" while Inu-yasha nearly choked on a biscuit.

"Oh thank goodness," her mom said with relief. "Then what ever it is, I'll understand."

"Well," Kagome said nervously, "You know that everyone else is going on their own adventures soon… Tea's going New York to study ballet, and Bakura's going back to London for college for university…"

"Yes? Those are all wonderful," her mom said. "What's the problem?"

Inu-yasha took her Kagome's hand, giving her courage. "Well, with everyone splitting up, Yuggi in Egypt, and Joey running the game shop, and Tristan going to Tokyo U with Ayumi…"

"Out with it girl," her grandpa said, "It won't help to dance around the issue."

"I won't want to go to college in the fall," she finally spit out.

"That's not a problem," her mom said, "There are always technical colleges."

"Mom," Kagome said, starting to cry, "I'm not gonna be here to go. Inu-yasha and I have decided to go back to the Feudal Era and finish looking for the Jewel Shards."

This made her grandpa stop dead, while her mother stare out blankly.

"You- you can't be serious," Gramps asked. "What about your future? We hardly see you already. Now you tell us you're going to be staying in the past with Inu-yasha?"

"I promise to come back once on a while," she said. "But right now I think this is the right place for me."

"This is too much!" he Gramps protested.

"Father," her mother suddenly said, breaking her long silence. "Let her go."

"What?" Kagome, her grandpa, and Souta all asked.

"We all knew she'd be leaving sooner or later. Just where and when was always a mystery. But I thibk I always knew why would be leaving. Kagome, I always hoped that when you left, it would be with someone you love."

Kagome and Inu-yasha blushed brightly.

"Just remember please to come by once on a while so I won't worry too much."

"I promise," Kagome said, smiling through her tears. Transition

"Why are going on a boat?" Yugi's grandpa asked Pegasus as they loaded their cargo.

"Because I've always wanted to take a slow boat to the west. It's more dramatic this way. Besides, the cost of jet fuel is ridiculous these days." the milionaire answered.

"Maybe I should stay in Japan," Solomon Motou said, boarding anyway.

"Oh no you don't, old man, you're not going to run out on me that easily."

Yugi stood at the docks with his ship in view. It was an impressive ship strong and sturdy and he was sure that he would enjoy the slow cruise to Egypt. His grandfather and Pegasus were waiting for him board. He'd always known that his destiny would take him back to the land of the Pharaohs. Now he was ready to go and discover what his destiny had in store for him. Just as he was about to board though, he wondered just how long he'd be gone. Until now it really didn't seem as if he would really be leaving. Now as he thought about the friends he was leaving behind, Yugi began to worry. Joey would be running the Little Turtle Game store, Mokuba would be running Kaiba Corp. and Kagome was going back to the feuding states era with Inu-yasha until their mission to find all of the shards of the Sacred Jewel was complete.

"Will those guys really be able to get along without me?"

"I think that they will." Yami said standing beside him. "We're going to discover something about ourselves in the days to come that will forever change our perception of the world. Yugi, we've come too far to turn back now. Even though our friends are not with us in caporal form, they are with us in spirit."

"Right." Yugi remembered. Joey, Tristan, Tea, Bakura, Serenity, Kaiba, and the others were all still his friends no matter what. They would remain friends for the rest of the their lives.

_**Transition**_

Tea watched as the ship sailed away, taking Yugi with it. She would be flying to New York tomorrow. She held the slip that had Yugi's new mailing address on it. As she watched the love of her life leaving, she vowed that someday, they would find each other. And be together forever.

_**Transition**_

Joey and Mai stood in front of the Little Turtle Game Shop. Joey couldn't help but swell with pride as he inserted the key into the front door.

"Ready, tiger?" Mai asked.

"You bet," Joey said as the door swung open. "Mai… I'm home."

**The End**

(We mean it this time)


End file.
